Knitting machine



June 16, 1942. R. H. LAWSON ETAL 2,287,001

KNITIfING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 30, 1929 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 '2 I-I IE i U E i i ,7 e H a a b q o l I N :5 I: 8

a INVENTDRSI ROBERT H. LAWSON,

ARTHUR N.CLO UTIER,

June 16, 1942.

R. H. LAWSON ETAL KNITTING MACHINE 7 Sheets Sheet 2 Original Filed Nov. 50, 1929 INVENTORS'. Rosz'zez" H LAwsm, A12 01/ 15g 3) I I;

A TTORNE June 16, 1942. R, H, LAWSON ETAL 2,287,001

KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 30, 1929. 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORSZ ROBERT H.LAW5ON ARTHUR N.CLOUTIER. BY $0 ATTY.

June 16,1942.

F'IBI'J.

R. H. LAWSON EI'AL 2,287,001

KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 30, 1929 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS.

ROBERT H LAM/50M ARTHUR NCLOUTIER, BY 4 01 7 ATTY J 1942- R. H. LAWSON ET AL 2,287,001

KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 30, 1929 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 F154. Fill-1.5.

i E? i l 1 @II 55 I 1 I I I M i l as 44 r 45 I 1 I i -46 I I 45 I I i 'i 1] 4| INVENTORSYI ROBERTH LAWSON,

jARTHuR N CLOUTIER,

QBY jam ATTY.

June 16, 1942. R LAWSON ETAL 2,287,001

KNITTING MACHINE Original Fild Nov. 30, 1929 '7 Sheets-Sheet- 6 FIBJ. FIGS.

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' INVENTOR5Z ROBERT l-LLAWSON, ARTHUR NCLOUTIER, BY Wm; ATTY.

June 16, 1942.

F1514. P1 94 9 a n0 INVENTORS- BERT H.L.AW

ARTHUR N.CI 'OUT'ER ATTY Patented June 16, 1942 i'rsa s'rAra s PATENT OFFICE KNITTING MACHINE Massachusetts Application. November 30, 1929, Serial No. 410,819

: Renewed November 26, 1938 11 Claims.

This invention relates to knitting machines of the type disclosed in the patent to Hemphill 933,443 September 7, 1909, and more specifically to an improvement thereover disclosed in the patent to Lawson et al. 1,702,608, February 19, 1929.

The mechanism herein disclosed although primarily adapted to be used in connection with rotating needle cylinder machines is not necessarily limited thereto, but may be used in connection with knitting machines of the so-called revolving cam type and furthermore is not necessarily lim ited to circular knitting machines.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of the knitting machine, the main cam shaft and connections therefrom for timing and controlling the usual knitting operations not being shown;

Fig. 1a is a plan view partly in section showing mechanism for controlling the selection of needles;

Fig. 2 is a view inside elevation of mechanism for feeding clocking or other striping threads to certain selected needles;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of one form of the means employed for feeding the clocking or other threads to the needles;

Fi 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing a difierent position of the parts;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the guide carrier of Figs. 4 and 5;

Fig. 6a is a detail view showing the relative positions of the wrap stripe guides and the needles, the guide carrier for wrapping the thread around selected needles being the one shown in detail in Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but of a modified form of thread feeding means;

Fig. 8 is a view partly in section of the feeding means shown in Fig. 7 but showing a different relative position of the parts;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of certain connections;

Figs. 10, 11, 12, and 13 are detail views of the mechanism shown in Figs. '7, 8, and 9;

Fig. 13a is a view similar to Fig. 6a but showing the form of guide carrier specifically disclosed in Figs. 7-13 inclusive.

Fig. 14 is a conventional view of a stocking having clocking areas knit therein;

Fig. 15 is an enlarged view of the fabric structure;

Fig. 16 is a view of thread floats at the inner side or face of the stocking and resulting from the operation of the mechanism shown in Figs.

.4, 5, and 6; and

Fig. 17 is a view similar to Fig, 16 but resulting from operation of the mechanism shown in Figs- 7-13 inclusive.

The numeral I designates the knitting machine generally, 2 the circular base on which is mounted in the usual manner a needle cylinder 3, sinker head 4 and latch ring 5, the latter being retained in lowered, operative position by means of a latch 6 engaging overa pin 1 carried by the mouthpiece 8 which is an extension of the latch ring. The mouthpiece 8 carries the usual yarn levers 9 adapted to feed threads i0 including body and plating threads, heel and toe threads, and such striping threads as may be interchangeably knit in from time to time.

Carried by an extension of the circular base or bobbin stand 2' is a drum l| mounted to turn upon a vertical axis and racked from course to course or as desired by a pawl means 12 suitably controlled from the "104" gear and in engagement with ratchet teeth l2. The drum i has mounted on its surface or periphery cams l3, and H. The cams i3 are adapted to engage arms of levers i5 pivoted at l8 upon a vertically disposed pin I! mounted in lugs l8 forming part of a bracket 9 which is fastened to the yarn lever box 20 while the other arms of the levers l5 engage other levers 2| pivoted intermediate their ends at 22. Engagement of one arm of a lever I5 by a cam l3 rocks the said lever I5 upon its pivot, whereupon the other arm of the lever rocks a corresponding lever 2| upon its pivot against the tension of a retractile spring 23, one end of which is connected to one arm of the lever 2| while the other end of the said spring is connected to a vertically disposed post 24 attached to the circular base as at 25. The rocking of a lever 2| causes a pin 26 depending from the other arm thereof to engage and move a corresponding slide 21 which carries a jack raising cam 28 at its inner end adjacent the cylinder. Jacks mounted within the slots of the needle cylinder and beneath the needles have butts 28' thereon located at different elevations. At one such elevation butts are in position to be engaged by the lowermost cam 28 while the other butts are correspondingly positioned to be engaged by the other cams 28. The engagement of the jack butts by the cams 28 causes the said jacks to be raised, which jacks in turn raise their needles to an elevated position all as disclosed in Fig. 41 of the Lawson Patent 1,702,608 for the purpose of taking and knitting in the lap or wrap stripe threads or yarns.

Mechanism for carrying out the method and knitting the product with which this invention is especially concerned is specifically disclosed in Figs. 2-13 inclusive, wherein 29 and 6| designate supplemental or wrap stripe thread guide carriers or discs carrying depending, porcelain or other eyes 30, 62 and 10 by means of which supplemental threads or yams 3| are fed to needles selectively raised as hereinbefore described.

Whereas in the Lawson Patent 1,702,608 the carrier 1 corresponding to carrier 23 is shown as mounted to rotate in time, preferably, one and one with the needle cylinder, so that the same yarn will alwaysbe fed to or wrapped around the same raised needles, the mechanism herein disclosed changes the yarn or thread fed to or wrapped around the certain selected needles so that in the clocking or other areas or stripes the threads 3| are interchangeably knit in by the selected needles whereby in a lengthwise extending stripe threads or yarns 3| of different colors may be knit in.

In the form specifically disclosed in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 the desired thread or yarn change is the result of a circumferential shifting of the disc or guide carrier 23, so that a certain guide eye 33 feeds its thread to or wraps it around certain selected needles for a desired number of courses and thereafter a second guide eye 30, preferably the eye next adjacent to the first mentioned eye, feeds its thread to or wraps it around the same group of needles theretofore having knit in the first mentioned clocking or striping thread. In

plate over the said body thread or threads for a desired number of courses. Thus the first and second mentioned clocking threads 3| each replace the other at intervals.

The means specifically disclosed in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 to change the color of the clocks includes an upper disc 32 and a lower disc 33 which two discs 32 and 33 clamp between them the heads of the porcelain eyes and thereby rigidly maintain them in proper position. Rising vertically from and rigidly connected to the lower disc 33 is 'a shaft 34 and surrounding the same and fastened thereto as by a screw 35 is a hub 35 which maintains the upper disc 32 in clamping engagement with the heads of the porcelain eyes 33. Shaft 34 is received within a hole 31 provided in a sleeve or shaft 33 which is in alignment with the hub 33 but is prevented from tuming therewith. The shaft 38 provides a suitable bearing for the shaft 34 to which turning movements are imparted by means of a pin in the form of a screw 33 fast to the said shaft 34, the outer end of which pin 33 projects radially through a horizontally disposed slot 40 provided in the shaft 38 and also through a diagonally disposed or inclined slot 4| provided in a hub 42 carried by a grooved disc or yoke 43. The disc 43 carries supplemental porcelain eyes 44 through which the threads 3| pass on their way to the first mentioned eyes 30. The guide carrier 23, as hereinbefore stated. is driven to rotate one and one with the needle cylinder and by mechanism similar to or identical with that disclosed in the patent to Lawson 1,702,608, but the means for so rotating'the guide carrier 23 in time with the needle cylinder is not a necessary part of the present invention and is not disclosed specifically herein. As the yoke or disc 43 is raised or lowered'to and from the positions of Figs. 4 and 5 the walls of the inclined slot 4| engage the head of the screw or pin 33 and cam the said pin 33 to or from the positions of- Figs. 4 and 5 thus causing the stub shaft 34 to which th pin or screw 33 is connected to rotate or move through:

an are determined by the length-and inclination of the slot 4|. The hub 42 and yoke 43 are held from turning on the sleeve or shaft 33 by means of a keyway 45 provided in shaft 33 and a pin or screw 43 passing through the yoke 43 and into the said keyway 45. As shown in Fig. 6 eight porcelain eyes 33 are circumferentially arranged around the carrier 23 and equi-distantly spaced. Accordingly the slot 4| is adapted to move the carrier disc 23 through an arc of approximately 45 degrees thereby causing the next adjacent eye 30 to asume the exact position, with respect to certain needles, as was occupied by the eye 30 which previously fed a wrap or supplemental thread to the said certain needles. However, the circumferential movement of the guide carrier 23 due to the inclined slot 4| and pin 33 may be more or-less depending upon the number, arrangement and disposition of the eyes 30 in the carrier 23.

The means for periodically raising and lowering the yoke or disc 43 is specifically disclosed in Figs. 2 and 3, wherein a lever 41 is provided with arms 41' the ends of which carry pins 48 that project into the groove of the disc or yoke 43. The lever 41 is normally maintained in lowered position by means of a spring 43 one end of which is attached to a pin 50 carried by the said lever 41 and the other end of which is attached to a convenient part of the machine frame. The said lever 41 is pivoted at 5| to an upright bracket 52 carried by the circular base to which bracket is also pivoted a lever 53 having at one end thereof a pin 54 engaged within a groove of a disc 55 fast to the shaft 33 so that upon elevation of the disc 55 the guide carrier 23 is raised to a position above the needles. The lever 53 controls the upward movement'of the disc 55 and guide carrier 23 as and when dictated by pattern mechanism not shown and not of itself a part of the present invention. The disc 55 is raised prior to levelling needles for transfer and heel and toe knitting. Pivoted coaxially with the lever 41 upon the pivot 5| is a lever 56 which is provided with a laterally extending lug 51, with which the underside of the lever 41 is normally held in engagement by means of spring 43. The lever 53 depends freely from its pivot 5| and at its lower extremity is normally in contact with one arm of a second and horizontally disposed lever 58 pivoted at 53, intermediate its ends, to a post upstanding from the circular base,

the other arm of lever 58 having a lug 50 in engagement with the surface of the drum II or cams |4 thereon. When in engagement with the surface of the drum II, as shown in Fig. 3, the lever 53 maintains a true vertical position as shown in Fig. 2, the spring 43 at such time maintaining the lever 41, in lowered position and consequently with the parts in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4. When, due to the racking movements imparted to the drum H by the pawl and ratchet l2, a cam 4 engages the lug 60 of the lever 58 and rocks the latter, the otherarm of the said lever swings or rocks the lever 56 to such a position as to cause the lug 51 thereon to raise or elevate the lever 41, which lever in turn raises the disc 43 from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that of Fig. 5 with the result that'the clocking or other thread or yarn 3| previously fed to or wrapped around the certain selected needles for the desired number of courses is angularly displaced and to such a position with respect. to the needles as to wrap around another group of selected needles, while a second thread 8! adjacent to the first, at the same time wraps around the group of needles first mentioned.

In Figs. 7-13 inclusive is disclosed a modification of the means for changing the color of the clocking or other stripes whichrnodifled means includes a guide carrier 8| corresponding in some respects to guide carrier 29 of Figs. 4 and 5. Porcelain or other thread guiding eyes 82 are held between two plates or discs 63and 64 clamped against the opposite sides of the heads of the eyes by means of a knurled screw 85 the shank-of which threadedly engages a stub shaft or rod 68 received within a hole 81 provided in a sleeve or shaft 68. The shaft 88 turns one and one with the needle cylinder. and carries around with it the stub shaft 66 and discs 63 and E4. The stub shaft is made fast to the shaft 88 as by means of a set screw 89, and the porcelain eyes 82 thus, from course to course, maintain the same positions, with respect to their needles in the needle cylinder so as to wrap clocking or other threads around the same groups of selected needles. In other words, a porcelain eye is always in position to feed thread to or wrap thread around the same group of needles, whereas in Figs. 4 and the corresponding eyes 38 are shifted circumferentially through an angle of approximately 45 degrees to change the thread or yarn wrapped around selected groups of needles.

In addition to the relatively fixed porcelain eye 62 there are provided additional thereto other and interchangeable, steel eyes 18 two sets of two each being disclosed in the drawings although any desired number of pairs obviously may be utilized if desired. The steel eyes 18 depend from and are carried by levers or guides H slotted as at 12 at their inner ends and within which slots, pins or screws 13 are received. The screws I3 control the in and out interchangeable movements of each pair of steel eyes and threadedly engage and pass through corresponding holes provided in a plate or disc 14 which is recessed at 15 to receive and house an idle eye I8 of each pair while the other such eye is in the active feeding position all as shown in Fig. 10. The plate 84 is shown as provided with V-shaped slots 16 within which slots thickened portions 11 of the levers 1| are received and guided in their movements to and from feeding positions. The thickened portions 11 provide shoulders 18 which abut against the ends of the slots 16 when the levers 1| are in retracted position. and the inner ends of the said levers are reduced beyond the shoulders as at I9 where the said levers slide upon the upper surface of the plate 64. i The plate or disc 14 is carried by a hub 88 journaled within a bearing 8| provided by the relatively fixed sleeve or shaft 88. The hub 88 terminates a short distance above the disc 14 and there engages shoulders 82 provided by the sleeve or shaft 88. Projecting radially outward from the hub 88 is a pin or screw 83 extending through a horizontally disposed slot 84 in the shaft 88 and through a diagonally disposed or inclined slot 85 provided in a hub or sleeve 86 which surrounds the shaft 68 and is fixed thereto against turning independently thereof as by means of a set screw 81 engaging a keyway 88 in the shaft 88. The screw is held in place by an additional. locking screw 88.

In the form of the invention disclosed in Figs. 7-13 inclusive, as well as in the first described form, pins 48 carried by the arms 41' of the lever 41 engage the groove of the yoke or disc 88 is knit in in a succeeding course.

as determined by the cams 14 upon the drum I l and connections therefrom, and thereby raise and lower the said disc 88 to interchange the clocking threads 3t wrapped around selected needles by means of the eyes I8. Fig. 7 shows the yoke or disc relatively raised and at such time one eye 18 of each set is in feeding position while the other eye is restracted and housed within a recess 15 provided in the plate 14. As the disc 98 and hub 86 move down from the position of Fig. 7 to that of Fig. 8 the diagonal slot engages the pin 83 and cams the same to the right from the position shown in Fig. '7. The pin 83 carries with it the sleeve 88 and the disc or plate I4, which plate by means of the pins I3 engaging in the slots 12 causes one lever ll of each pair to move from a projected position to a retracted position and simultaneouslyv therewith moves the retracted lever H to a projected position. The steel eye 18 carried by the lever second mentioned is thus moved to a position to feed to or wrap its thread around the certain selected needles theretofore receiving thread through the companion eye I8.

The clocking mechanisms disclosed in Figs. 4-6 and Figs. 7-13 respectively, may each be replaced by the other by loosening a set screw 46 or 81, removing the clocking mechanism and substituting the other therefor. Furthermore the two clocking mechanisms may be used in conjunction the one with the other. 7

Figs. 6a and 13a illustrate how the wrap threads are carried from positions within the needle circle to positions to the outside thereof and finally back to positions within the needle circle. The needles N which are mounted within tricks or grooves in the needle cylinder 3are arranged in a circle having a greater diameter than either guide carrier and as a consequence thereof, and the fact that the needle cylinder and guide carriers are rotated in timed relation with one another, the needles have a greater peripheral speed than the threads which pass through the eyelets in the guide carriers, the result being that the needles gain with respect to the wrap threads.

In Fig. 14 a stocking is shown having knit therein by the methods herein described a clocking area or stripe A flanked on each side by stripes B and C which stripes'extend lengthwise of the stocking.

In Fig. 15 a few wales and courses are shown with the body thread 9| and the plating thread 92 knit in throughout and a third, wrap stripe thread 3| knit in at certain wales as at 93 and floated therebetween at 94. The floats 94 are the result of the failure of jacks to raise their needles to a level to knit in the wrapping thread 3|, which thread consequently floats back of the threads SI and 82 taken and knit in by all of the needles at the mouthpiece. The floats 94 constitute knitting floats or floats resulting from needle selection. In addition to the knitting floats 94, wrapping floats 95 extend from the last Wale where a thread 3| is knit in in one course to the first Wale where the card thread Each thread 3| is adapted to be fed to and wrapped around ten to fourteen adjacent needles. the number of such needles actually knitting in a wrapping thread 3| depending upon the number of needles selected by the jacks and cams 28 as hereinbefore described. As disclosed in Fig. 15 a thread 3| spans seven wales, the first, third, fifth, and seventh wales having knit therein the said thread 3| for four courses preceded by a few courses with the said thread II knit in at the second and sixth wales only. 4

The wrapping floats 95, Fig. 16, are shown at 90, 91, and 90. The threads II are knit in on the face of the fabric as stripe D, E, and F. For the first few courses indicated, Fig. .16, a separate thread II is fed to and wrapped around three adjacent series or groups of needles by means of the eyes 30, Figs. 4, 5, and 6, which needles are selected as hereinbefore described. During the knitting of the said first few courses the yoke 43 is in the position shown in 1'18. 4. To change the colors of the stripes D, E, and I" yoke 43 is shifted from the position of Fig. 4 to that of Fig. 5 thereby moving the eyes 90 circumferentialiy or laterally through an arc of approximately 45. degrees so that the threads 3| that theretofore were knit in as stripes D, E, and F float laterally as indicated by the numerals 99, I00, and IOI respectively. The lateral displacement of the threads SI permits a change in the color of all the stripes D, E, and F, so that a continuation of the stripe E has knit therein the thread theretofore knit in as stripe D; while the continuationv of the stripe D has knit therein the thread ll theretofore knit in as stripe F; while the said stripe F has knit therein. a thread 3| which either floated as indicated at I 02 from a stripe adjacent to the stripe F (not shown) or was theretofore idle because it was not knitted by any of the needles; while the thread theretofore knit in as stripe E floats as at I00 to an idle position or to be knit in as a stripe (not shown) and adjacent to the stripe E. After knitting in the desired number of courses with the threads 9| in the second named position, they may be either returned to the first position or again shifted laterally in the same direction. If shifted back to their original positions, floats I03, I04, I05, and I00 return all four threads II to their original stripes. The wrapping threads 3|, in all cases, float from the last wale where knit in, in one course, to the first wale where knit in, in a following course.

Operation of the clocking mechanism, Figs. '7-13 inclusive, changes the color of a given stripe such as G, Fig. 17, and avoids the objectionable floats 99-400, Fig. 16 which floats 99I00 are replaced by wrapping floats I01, I00. connected by floats I09, III, that cross the courses and floats I01, and I00. The floats I09 and III extend lengthwise of the stocking or other fabric and from the last mile where knit in in one course of knitting to the first wale where knit in in a succeeding or following course. The float I09 extends in a substantially straight line from wale to wale whereas the float H0 is deflected from a straight line by the float I09 so that one part of the float IIO extends from the last wale where knit in to the float I09 and the other part or extension of the float I I0 passes from the float I09 to the other side or edge of the stripe G where it is again knit in. Lengthwise extending stripes H, I are, preferably though not necessarily, knit in adjacent to the clocking area G by threads 3| which are fed to and wrapped around selected needles by the porcelain eyes 02.

The stripes D, E, F, G, H, and I may span the same number of wales from course to course as indicated in Fig. 16 or they-may span an increasing or decreasing number of wales as indicated in Fig. 1'7.

While the body and plating threads 9|, 92 are shown'in Fig. 15 as knit in throughout, either one or both 'may be floated where the wrap stripe thread or threads II are knit in or at any other desired place in the fabric for ornamental or other purposes.

The wrapping floats and floats which extend across the wales may be severed if desired. While this invention is herein disclosed as applied to a machine of the circular, independent needle type, the invention in all respects is not limited thereto. but is also adapted to other types of knitting machines than those having independent needles arranged in a circle and furthermore while it is herein disclosed as applied to hosiery machines it is equally adapted to be used in connection with so-called body machines if desired.

We claim: 4

1. In a circular knitting machine of the rotary, independent needle type, means for feeding a thread or threads to the needles throughout substantially all .the wales and courses, means for feeding an additional thread or threads to certain needles, said means including a rotary guide carrier having mounted therein a plurality of interchangeable thread guides, the said interchangeable thread guides each being adapted to occupy the same active, feeding position, each interchangeable thread guide thereby being adapted to feed its thread to the same group of needles, means for causing the guide carrier to rotate in time with the needle cylinder and so controlling the threads that each such thread will be interchangeably wrapped around one or more needles as desired.

' 2. A knitting machine having needles independently mounted therein, means for feeding a thread or threads "to all of the needles, other means for feeding additional threads to certain tary guide carrier, rotatable once for each course of knitting and means for circumferentially moving the guide carrier independently of the mentioned rotary movement during each course of knitting, the last mentioned means including a member movable with respect to the guide carrier, connections between the said member and guide carrier, whereby the said movements of the member are translated to circumferential movements of the guide carrier, the last named member including a yoke vertically movable and provided with a hub having therein a slot inclined to the horizontal, a pin carried by the guide carrier and in engagement with the said inclined slot, whereby reciprocating movements of the,

yoke cause circumferential movements of the guide carrier.

3. A knitting machine of the circular, independent needle tYDe. means for feeding a thread or threads to all of the needles, in combination with supplemental means adapted to feed a thread or threads to certain of the needles only, the second mentioned means being adapted to be so controlled as to feed one, at least, of the said supplemental threads to one, at least, of the said certain needles for a desired number of courses and thereafter to feed anotherv supplemental thread to the same needle or needles, means for controlling and timing the interchangeable feeding of the supplemental threads to the said group of certain needles, said means including pattern mechanism having pattern indications thereon and connections between the said pattern indications and supplemental thread feeding means to control the desired changes in the feeding of the supplemental threads, the connections between the pattern indications and supplemental feeding means including a. vertically movable member adjacent to the supplemental feeding means and immediately controlling, the desired changes in the feeding of the supplemental threads, a lever adapted to raise the vertically movable member, a second lever in engagement with the first, a third lever, one arm of which is in engagement with the second lever and the other arm of which is in engagement with the pattern indications whereby the latter time and control the vertical movements of the said vertically movable member.

4. In a knitting machine of the rotary, independent needle type, means for feeding a thread to all of the needles, means adapted to feed additional threads to certain needles only and by needle wrapping movements of the said additional threads, the second mentioned means including, at least, two thread guides adapted interchangeably to feed said additional threads to and wrap them around the said certain needles, the said guides being adapted to assume a non-feeding position or a feeding position with relation to the needles, means for controlling the movements of the said guides to and from thread feeding relation with respect to the needles, the said means including a slotted member, the slots of which cause the interchangeable guides to slide to and from thread feeding relation with respect to the certain needles.

5. A circular knitting machine provided with a needle cylinder and means for rotating the same, means for feeding at least one thread to substantially all of the needles, in combination with thread guiding means to feed supplemental threads to and wrap them around some of the needles, said thread guiding means consisting of a member eccentrically mounted with respect to the needle cylinder and being driven to rotate one and one with the said needle cylinder, the supplemental threads by such circular movements of the guiding means being adapted to wrap around some of the needles, at least two thread guides being carried by said guiding means and being movable in such a manner that one such guide is companion to a certain group of needles during the knitting of one course while the other guide is companion to the same group of needles during the knitting of another course.

6. A knitting machine of the character described having a rotary needle cylinder, needles mounted therein for independent thread taking movements, means for feeding a thread or threads to the needles through substantially all the wales and courses, other means for feeding an additional thread or threads to certain selected needles and by wrapping the said thread or threads around the said certain needles, the said additional feeding means including a guide carrier movable in time with the needle cylinder, means adapted to cause the guide carrier to gain with respect to the needles whereby a thread fed to certain needles for a certain course or courses will, during the immediately following course, feed to other needles in adv-anceof the needles first mentioned.

7. A knitting machine having needles independently mounted therein, means for feeding a thread or threads to all of the needles, other means for feeding each of additional threads to one or more of the needles, said means including a rotary guide carrier, rotatable once for each course of knitting and means for circumferentially moving the guide carrier independently of the mentioned rotary movement during each course of knitting to effect the wrapping of a needle with one of said threads during the knitting of one course and with another of said threads during the knitting of the next course, the last mentioned means including a member movable with respect to the guide carrier, connections between the said member and guide carrier, whereby the said movements of the member are translated to circumferential movements of the guide carrier.

8. A knitting machine having in combination knitting instrumentalities, means for feeding yarn to said instrumentalities throughout a plurality of successive courses and wrap yarn feeding means eccentrically mounted and rotatable with said knitting instrumentalities equipped to feed a plurality of wrap threads to selected ones of said instrumentalities, said wrap thread feeding means having means for interchanging feeding differentiated wrap threads to the same needle or groups of needles and means operable in successive courses to feed first one of said wrap threads to a pair and then the other so that in one course onewrap thread may be knitted on any needle or needles of a group and in the next following course a different wrap thread may be knitted on any needle or needles of the same group.

9. A rotary, independent needle knitting machine having in combination knitting instrumentalities, yarn feeding means for feeding a. yarn throughout a plurality of successive courses, wrap thread feeding means including an eccentrically mounted means for feeding a plurality of wrap threads rotatable in timed relation with said knitting instrumentalities, means for bodily raising and lowering said wrap thread feeding means and other means operable in accordance with a predetermined pattern for varying the relative circumferential position of said wrap thread feeding means with respect to said knitting instrumentalities.

10. In a rotary, independent needle knitting machine the combination of knitting instrumentalities and a wrap thread feeding means rotatable with said instrumentalities but eccentrically mounted with respect thereto, means for shogging said wrap thread feeding means relatively to said instrumentalities including a spirally disposed cam slot, a pin engageable in said cam slot, a collar movable lengthwise of said cam slot and within which said pin is fixed, means for preventing relative rotation of said collar and for moving the same along with said slot thereby to impart shogging movements to the wrap thread feeding means.

11. A knitting machine having needles independently mounted therein, means for feeding a thread or threads to all of the needles, other means for feeding each of additional threads to one or more of the needles, said means including a rotary guide carrier, rotatable once for each course of knitting and means for circumferential:- ly moving the guide carrier independently of the mentioned rotary movement during each course of knitting associated with and, the last mentioned means including a member movable with respect to the guide carrier, connections between the said member and guide carrier, whereby the said movements of the member are translated to circumferential movements of the guide carrier.

ROBERT H. LAWSON. ARTHUR N. CLOUI'IER. 

